Apple Music MiniPlayer: How to Get, Exit, and Customize It

Part 1. How to Use Apple Music Mini Player on Mac (Music App)

Apple Music's Mini Player on Mac is a small floating window that lets you keep music playing without opening the full app. It generally has a more polished design than iTunes. You can see album art, follow lyrics, check which songs are coming up next, add a song to a playlist, and exit the Mini Player anytime. Playback controls, volume, and the Up Next queue are all easily accessible. It is lightweight, fast, and perfect for keeping music running while you work or browse.

Step 1 Open the Music app on your Mac and start playing a song, playlist, or radio station.

Step 2 From the top menu bar, click Window, then select Switch to MiniPlayer.

Step 3 The Mini Player window appears with album artwork, playback controls, and volume adjustment. Move your mouse over the artwork to reveal extra controls.

Step 4 Click the Playing Next button to view and edit upcoming songs.

Step 5 Click the Lyrics button if you want to follow along with the song.

Step 6 For a simpler view, click the menu icon in the Mini Player and choose Hide Artwork.

Step 7 Drag the Mini Player anywhere on your screen to keep it visible while you work or browse.

Step 8 If it covers something you are working on, drag it to a corner of your desktop.

Step 9 Hover over the album artwork and click the small Mini Player icon to open it immediately.

Part 2. How to Use Apple Music Mini Player on Windows (iTunes)

iTunes still provides a Mini Player on Windows. The interface is similar to Mac, but activation is slightly different. Shrink the main iTunes window, select View > Show MiniPlayer, or tap the hidden MiniPlayer icon next to the Now Playing bar. By default, the Mini Player shows album art, basic playback controls, and the Up Next list to manage upcoming songs. You can also view your recently played tracks under History and check Lyrics. While iTunes may not feel as polished as the Music app on Mac, the Mini Player is clean, functional, and works well for running music in the background while using other programs.

Step 1 Open iTunes on your Windows PC and start playing a song, playlist, or radio station.

Step 2 From the top menu, select View > Show MiniPlayer, or click the small Mini Player icon next to the Now Playing bar.

Step 3 The Mini Player shows album artwork, track progress, and basic controls like Play/Pause and Skip.

Step 4 Click the Up Next button to manage upcoming tracks.

Step 5 Click the History button to view recently played songs.

Step 6 Click the Lyrics button to see song lyrics.

Step 7 Hover over the Mini Player controls and click More to shrink the Mini Player further or hide the artwork.

Step 8 If the Mini Player is off-screen, click the album artwork in the main controls to bring it up again.

Part 3. How to Use Apple Music Mini Player on the Web (music.apple.com)

On the web, the Mini Player is part of the browser interface rather than a separate window. Make sure to play a song first, then click the album art to open the Full Screen Player. To activate the Mini Player, reduce the width of the browser window by dragging the left or right edge inward until the Close button appears. For a fuller experience, you can also open iTunes or the Apple Music app directly from the web and enable the Mini Player there.

Step 1 Go to music.apple.com in your web browser and sign in.

Step 2 Play a song, album, or playlist. A track must be playing for the Mini Player to appear.

Step 3 Click the album artwork at the top to open the Full Screen Player.

Step 4 Reduce the width of your browser window by dragging the left or right edge inward until the Close button appears.

Step 5 The Mini Player now shows playback controls and album artwork.

Step 6 Click the Up Next button to view upcoming songs or the Lyrics button to follow along.

Step 7 To add the current song to a playlist, click the More button and choose Add to a Playlist.

Step 8 To return to the full web player, click the Close button and expand the browser window.

Step 9 Make sure a song is actively playing before trying to reveal the Mini Player if it does not appear.

Part 4. How to Exit Apple Music Mini Player (Return to Full Player View)

If you want to see more of your library or playlists, exiting the Mini Player is simple. While the Mini Player is open, look for the close or expand icon in the window and click it. The icons may look different depending on your platform, but the result is the same: returning to the full Music interface. On desktop apps, keyboard shortcuts, like Option‑Command‑M on Mac, can also toggle the Mini Player on and off.

In iTunes (Windows or older Mac versions)

Step 1 Locate the MiniPlayer on your screen.

Step 2 Click the X button in the top-left corner of the MiniPlayer.

Step 3 The MiniPlayer will close, returning you to the full iTunes interface with the Now Playing bar.

In Apple Music App (Mac)

Step 1 Locate the MiniPlayer window.

Step 2 Click the red close button in the top-left corner.

Step 3 You will return to the full Music app view, where you can manage playlists, discover music, and see detailed track information.

In Apple Music Web Player

Step 1 Find the MiniPlayer at the bottom of your browser.

Step 2 Click the minimize/close button to return to the full web player interface.

Part 5. How to Access Mini Player Features on iPhone, iPad and Android

The Apple Music app on iPhone and iPad does not have a floating Mini Player, but you can get similar convenience through three options.

Way 1: Use Apple Music's Now Playing Screen in the App

A simple mini player experience on iPhone or iPad comes from the mini playback bar inside the Apple Music app. When you play a song, a small bar appears at the bottom showing the track title and basic controls like Play/Pause and Skip. Tapping it expands to the full Now Playing screen with album art, lyrics, shuffle, repeat, and your upcoming queue. You can browse your library or playlists while the mini bar stays visible. On iPad, it works in split view so you can use another app at the same time. This is the easiest way to keep playback control handy without leaving Apple Music.

Step 1 Open the Apple Music app and play a song, album, or playlist.

Step 2 Look for the small mini playback bar at the bottom of the screen.

Step 3 Tap the mini bar to open the full Now Playing screen.

Step 4 See album art, lyrics, shuffle, repeat, and your upcoming songs.

Step 5 Swipe back to browse your library while the mini bar stays visible.

Way 2: Access Apple Music's Now Playing on the Lock Screen

You can control music from the Lock Screen or Control Center. When a song is playing, the Lock Screen shows a Now Playing card that lets you Play/Pause, skip tracks, adjust volume, and sometimes see album art and lyrics. The Control Center provides the same controls and lets you access playback at any time. This method gives a true mini player outside the app itself.

Step 1 Play music in the Apple Music app.

Step 2 Lock your device or go to the Lock Screen.

Step 3 Find the Now Playing card with album art and basic controls.

Step 4 Tap or swipe the card to see more playback options.

Step 5 Use the Control Center to control music anytime without opening Apple Music.

Way 3: Add Apple Music Widgets to Your Home Screen

Widgets provide one-tap access to music without opening the app and work on iOS 14 or later. They act like a mini player that stays visible alongside your other apps. To add one, long-press the Home Screen, tap the + icon, search for Music, and choose a widget size. The widget shows the current song, album art, and basic controls. Tapping it opens the app for full controls.

Step 1 Long-press an empty area on your Home Screen until the apps jiggle.

Step 2 Tap the + icon to open the widget gallery.

Step 3 Find the Music widget and pick a size.

Step 4 Tap Add Widget to place it on your Home Screen.

Step 5 Tap Done to finish.

Step 6 The widget shows the current song and lets you Play, Pause, or Skip.

Step 7 Tap it to open the full app for all controls.

Part 6. Best Ways to Get a Mini Player for Apple Music on Other Media Players

Sometimes you may want to transfer your Apple Music library to other platforms to access their exclusive features, such as Spotify's crossfade. You can choose to use tools like SongShift or ViWizard Music Playlist Transfer. While those tools transfer data only, a powerful Apple Music downloader can help transfer the actual files by converting and downloading your Apple Music to a compatible file format.

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